


No Will of Fire

by IslitaBonita



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Development, Kirigakure | Hidden Mist Village, Uzumaki Clan-centric, Uzushiogakure | Hidden Eddy Village
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:00:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26448925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IslitaBonita/pseuds/IslitaBonita
Summary: Ushio may be from the Land of Whirpools but she was in Kiri now.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s), Uchiha Shisui/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 15





	1. Prologue

Ushio knew a lot about the Land of Whirlpools.

She knew that the Land was lost in the sea, out of reach of the mainland. Carved out of the highest mountain in the land, the village was sprinkled by those white towers looking out into the sea. At its peak stood a grand waterfall, feeding the wide river that run through the village and into the sea.

She knew it to be full of colors. Not lost in the mist like Kiri, the sun was an unfailing companion of the islanders. The green of the lush tree mixed with the soft blue of the Yosuga River. Stairs upon stairs lined the mountain linking every peak, painted by the reddest ink full of chakra, warming the streets of their orange glow.

Far from the cold wind, the island was in a state of permanent spring, filled by flowers and fruits all year long. The soft breeze of summer carried the smell of the different spice stocked in the barrels travelling in little boats floating peacefully along the river. Warm from the laughter of its citizen, the land was known for its redheaded inhabitant. All shades, from the bloodiest red to the soft pink cherry blossom, held together by sealing paper reminding the outsider of their mastery.

She knew their skin to held colored symbols painted unto for festival and tattooed for pride. She could imagine the purple dots on her mother body shared by family, grandparents, she knew there was a lot of it there, smiling at her, explaining their clan's secrets as her mother will leave on missions.

Ushio knew that she was named after the famous tides of the island that opened the sea to reveal a bright and sandy way to their sister village, Konoha.

More than all of that, Ushio understood now their village to be no more. She had heard it from the others after all, foreigners in Kiri like them. But maybe she was wrong and them too, only her mother had been to the land after all, and as she softly touched the purple dot on Ushio's forehead, she would remind her that the village was simply asleep, waiting for them to return.

Ushio loved the thought of it, and every night before falling asleep, she would ask for another story of the beautiful village.

"From the highest peak of the mountain was the pool from which the Yosuga River is born."

She could hear the soft song of the bird in the isolated forest, the low hum of the waterfall joining the melody.

"You would write the name of the newly born in a rock and throw it into the pool for good luck."

It's said that the river's water shone a healing green because of chakra infused ink used on the rocks.

"Once you receive you hitai-ate you are to be bathed in the river."

Under the Great Bridge, in the middle of the village, surrounded by the high towers, the stairs full of the supporting citizen. Each ceremony welcomed around 5 news shinobi, but everyone knew that each of them was worth 5 mainlander.

"And at the end of the Yosuga River, as it entered the Great Ocean, we will lay the body of our fallen and elders."

Placed in a boat, a seal will activate once the embarkation was far enough from the shore.

"The river is the heart of Uzushio, and the sea its strength."

Red eyes locked with hers, and Ushio found herself frozen under the strong stare of her mother. Even with the ratty clothes and her underfed body it was impossible to forget that her mother was a shinobi.

"Never forget it Ushio. They," she spat "may make you swim in their ocean but it's from this river that you're from."

From all the knowledge and maturity of her three years, the little girl nodded. Wrinkled eyes closed as a smile lifted the older woman's features.

"Good girl."


	2. Teeth

_Out of breath, the girl navigated between the different colored stands of the main street. The various smells of spice and fruits engulfed her nose even as little red threads of hair stuck to her face. The sun was warm against her back, tanning her skin as she tried to run faster. She needed to be quicker if she wanted to lose them! She looked back at the yelling boy, his hair almost burned off from her explosive seal._

  
_Her laughter run through the air as she saluted the different merchants, ignoring the yells of her name behind her._

_“MI-“_

Pain exploded at her side as Ushio was thrown back in the mud. Her vision blurred as the pain resonated and malevolent laughs resonated around her.

“Get her Goro !”

She tried to stand up even as the ground was slippery and her body seemed so weak. The redhead glared back at her opponent as he spat at her feet.

“What are you going to do, tomato ?”

Crying out she run, her fist closed as she tried to touch him but Goro was bigger and older than her. A six-year-old wasn’t worth much in a taijutsu spar against children twice her age but their sensei stood back, his eyes cold.

Ushio had been advanced for a reason after all and if she couldn’t keep up then there wasn’t any reason to keep her at all. Never mind her “prodigious” tendency the graduating exam was in a few weeks, getting rid of her now assured a better chance later.

As she tried to absorb the shock of his kick into her stomach, she grabbed his leg to make him lose his standing. As he fell, she run to him her mouth on his neck and her blunt teeth into his skin. Her little body pressed against him to keep him down, her nails scratching the skin off his arms. His body resisted as she hardened her grip, blood filling her mouth. After a few seconds of no resistance, the boy’s body shaking slightly as he tried to hide his sorb, she slowly went back to her feet. Ushio could feel the salt on her lips.

_“You never leave a comrade bruised without the seal, Ushio.”_

She spat on the ground even as she saw his hand going to his throat. She smirked.

_“There is no pride in a fallen comrade.”_

The smile left her red lips and with an annoyed huff she crouched to the older boy, her hand out to help, middle and index finger forming the seal of reconciliation.

Her body was pulled forward as a closed fist met her jaw.

Ushio was thrown back, body unable to get up a final time.

XxX

Ushio was born and raised in Kiri. As such she knew how to navigate the sea of merchants, tourist always presents in the streets. Knew with which kids she could play with, and which one were better left alone, teeth too sharp in their smile. Kira was colorful too, she thought. Of course, the everlasting mist bathed the city in a sad grey, but the road was always full, an ocean of colorful hair, from the white snow to the softest blue with an array of colored skin. Even with her plum colored hair and purple dot, Ushio liked to think that she blended easily.

“Hey Tomato-chan !”

Or not so much. Her face reddening in aggravation the redheaded continued on her way refusing to turn. She knew he will follow.

“What do you want?”

Her voice tried to stay hard and cold, but her annoyance was more than clear. A nasty rictus was her only answer. Huffing she stomped her feet as she finally turned. Pupils less eyes glared at the taller boy; with his height he could easily keep up with the others of their class even if they were almost the same age. He may be tall but he is as skinny as me! She thought but didn’t go on her usual rant, she had enough for the day. Her head hurt and her eye was already swelling up, she just wanted to go home. And yet her eye caught the way he tried to keep his mouth shut, lips closely glued together and yet the corner were going up, trying to contain a smile. She gaped, dark eyes widening.

“No way…” she murmured.

Only then did Zabuza’s lip split into a grin, bright newly serrated teeth in full display. The sight left a bad taste in her mouth as she willed a smile on her lips. More than a simple weapon showing the devotion to the shinobi path, it also symbolized the union between the civilian born and the various clans’s naturally sharp teeth. Cutting its teeth was a mark of great talent in Kiri and usually allowed once a student found a master.

As usual Zabuza was smug of his achievement, his little dark eyes almost maniac in their glee. It was no simple chunin or jonin, Ushio knew the orphan to be too ambitious and more than happy to use his weapons to pave his way. Who could have taken in the little terror?

“Who?” She didn’t have time to play his game, her mother was surely waiting for her. Being late for her stupid writing exercise and etiquette practice was never a good idea, no matter how much she hated it. Rolling her eyes, she concentrated again.

“ Jûzô Biwa.”

“No way !”

Stomping her feet as she turned around, the redhead started her usual rant ignoring the smug boy on her right following her.

“One of the Seven ! You ! You mad dog ! I can’t believe this!” fist clenched only the multiple bruises adorning her body stopped from lashing out. Zabuza never pulled his punches, and “friendly spar” was not part of his vocabulary. “ I-It’s so unfair ! I work my ass off too, I got more chakra! Why not me?”

Zabuza rolled his eyes but did not comment on it. They had known each other long enough to develop a friendship but they also understood the ambitiousness of the other. Growing up in the refugee district was no easy life and they had learned early on that if they ever wanted to leave it, they better make themselves important. In Kiri, only the strong can survive, the graduation exam was just one of the more obtuse way to assure that.

Kiri was one of the last countries still refusing to join the war and as such has become a truth beacon of hope for refugee around the elemental countries, but it wasn’t an easy life. The compulsory enrollment of the foreign children assured that only the best of those newcomers will stay but also helped stop overpopulation.

“You should talk to the grandma.” Muttered Zabuza, interrupting her rant.

Ushio huffed, kicking a pebble on the street.

“As if. She would prefer eating Witane-san’s soup than to let me sharpen my teeth. You know how she is.”

Her mother was well known in the neighborhood for being a stuck-up, one of those that refused to fit in. Watching the pebble ricochet, it slowed down a few feet away, at the feet of an old man. Nodding mindlessly at Zabuza’s response, Ushio frowned. The refugee district was small and formed a tight knit community because of it, everyone knew each other, and it was rare to see stranger wander around. And yet two man stood into the street, passing them without a single glance. Brown eyes and hair. Eyebrows a little too long, almost not fitting in the older man face.

Against herself she giggled and tried to capture Zabuza’s attention. The boy on the other hand seemed focused on something, a frown marring his face.

“ Ushio, you should go.”

Following his gaze, she saw her own house. She sighed; her mother was surely waiting on the other side ready to punish her once again. Mood souring, she bid Zabuza’s goodbye, if her mother saw her with him, she would surely get stuck in seal exercises for two weeks. His new teeth surely ending up in one long rant that she wasn’t in the mood to withstand.

Dreading the yells, Ushio tried to enter quietly even if her mother surely already sensed her chakra. Eyes closed in preparation she was surprised when utter silence met her. Where was she?

At almost sixty-three years old it was rare for her mom to go out and she was more than happy to stay at her house; far from Kiri’s fishes she would say. Paper covered every wall, her mother’s masterpieces, but Ushio was shocked to find stack and stack of paper littering the ground, various unknown seals painted on them.

She walked down the corridor, kunai in hand.

Ushio was born and raised in Kiri. As such she knew its tradition and its people. So, when she saw her mother body, her blood sipping into the sealing papers around her, her head nowhere to be found, she knew what it meant.

Traitor.


	3. Mourning

Slowly Ushio sat down. Her knees crumpled the bloodied papers. Foreign symbols where drawn unto them rendering their reading impossible for a Kiri native. But she had been shown how to recognize and draw them since she was toddler, the sight of it as natural to her as a written language. You could surely find her first seal somewhere on the wall of their corridor, bright blue fluorescent ink from too much chakra still visible under layers of paints.

She stared at the seals covering the floor, most of them were unfinished, Uzushio’s mark in their center proving their origins. It was no secret that they came from Uzushio or even their Uzumaki origins as her mother was the supplier of most of Kiri’s explosives seal. Nothing too big but just enough to show good will and pay their bill. But this, she wondered, as she analysed the different symbols, was no explosives seal. This was too big, the complex chains of symbols aggravated her headache and apart from the twirl at his center for balance, Ushio could understand nothing of it.

A few feet away where her mother's shoes, open toad sandals a light blue that screamed “Foreign” but that she refused to get rid of. Thankfully Ushio had outgrown her own a few months ago and was able to switch to the reglementary black. As an islander, she could be more or less accepted but showing too much affiliation with the Land of Fire was a death wish around here. Refugee came from all sides after all. Not that her mother cared.

She sighed.

From the light green qipao dress to her bracelets made of sealing paper and the different purple dots adorning her arms, Michi never tried to fit in. Now her seals were a sad grey, her tanned skin taking a paling hue. It was almost ironic how she blended more with Kiri’s scenery now. The bright red hue of the blood pooling around the Uzumaki’s shoulder was eerily similar to how her hair could have used to be. Ushio had only known it as the pale grey that it was now, always kept in two buns, another foreign tradition.

She needed to ger rid of it, she knew the protocols. The head was to be kept in the hunter nins department with the others as a proof of death. The body was her to burn. It was what was expected of her, she knew that they will be watching her by now.

“I’m getting in trouble again because of you.”

Of course, there was no answer. She needed to clean this mess. What else was she to do? Kiri was her home, she couldn’t leave! She was _this_ close to graduation!

“Couldn’t have kept it together a little more, could you?”

Just a little bit more. Ushio would have been an official shinobi of Kiri and Mishi would have been free to go back if she didn’t like here! But of course not, and now all of her future was being jeopardised. She clinched her teeth, her nails digging into the skin of her palms.

Slowly passing a wet towel over the blood, burning bill going up her throat as she felt its warmness engulf her finger. Curses she heard at the fish stand left her mouth. It was all the Uzumaki's fault.

“Do you see what you’re making me do ?”

At least she was quiet now. Too outspoken she heard them say, an old rag had muttered their neighbor. Her thick accent was always the end of some jokes. Always filling her head with stories : chakra fruit and golden chains. Its head cut off, Ushio could finally see it for what it was … an relic. Unable to evolve with her surroundings. She lifted her eyes as the products burned her, trying to contain the wetness. What did she put in the water ? Her throat was aflame as she kept her mouth shut. No, not a cry will leave her lips.

Once the blood was gone, she stared at it. She needed to burn it off. Maybe even throw it outside to show her loyalty. They would be waiting now. The new must have already traveled, the neighbours will be waiting to see her throw it away.

Her vision was blurring and it really was starting to get hard to see. The shaking of her lips impeded her from talking and she didn’t know any fire jutsu anyway. Her body was still weak from her fight and even without that she was still too little to be able to transport it to the bin outside. Ushio tried to regain her shaking breath.

The green dress had been her favorite, its style purely from Uzushio and you could never see her mother outside of a Quipao. Ushio had always found it the perfect mixes of practicality and beauty, the stiches forming light seals supposed to protect the material and rendering it stronger against justu and knives. Ushio could remember being younger and crying for her mother to get her one but the art had been lost at the fall of Uzushio, her mother’s collection the only ones left. 

She could never hope to wear one now, not with those connotations.

She approached the body, one step at the times, her feet leaving reddened step in the newly cleaned floor. Careful of her dirty form she lay down next to the body. Eyes closed she tried to find rest too, but her lips couldn’t stop shaking and her throat was still aflame, and her eyes were so wet and – finally Ushio let a loud ugly cry. Curled up against her mother’s form she tried to find its missing warmth.

XxX

_As warm water buried her feet under the sand, she let out a long sigh. Lips pursed in a frown she tried to contain the shaking of her body but she was so bored ! The sun was burning against her skin and she longed to swim in the familiar sea but her father hands in her shoulder kept her from moving._

_“How much longer Tou-san ?” she didn’t wait for him to respond as she swung her arms around. “It’s so long ! I wanna swim !”_

_Her voice cut through the sobs and she felt the crowd of red-haired clan members turn their head toward her. Lowering her gaze as a blush engulfed her face she muttered once again, this time trying to be quieter._

_“It’s truth ! We don’t even know Akame-san anyway !”_

_Crimson eyes met het her black ones and the little girl gripped her light blue dress tighter._

_“Look around you, Hime-chan. Don’t you see ?”_

_What she could see was the blue of the sea as they all stood on the beach, waiting for the little light boat to disappear into the faraway whirlpools. She wanted to swim with her friends but Kokoro was crying into her mother hug._

_“Maybe you didn’t know Akame-san, but you friends and the rest of the clan did. So today we mourn her as a village, as a family.”_

_She nodded as she tried to understand._

_“ So I need to be here, even if I don’t know her ?”_

_“Each one of us is a part of the village, Hime-chan, each of us has a role. Akane fulfilled hers, now fulfill yours.”_

_It didn’t really make sense for her but she know that she was important, that someday she will have duties to fulfill. Maybe she didn’t need to be here for Akane-san but for Kokoro that was her friend ? and for her father ? Or even for the Village ?_

_She loved the village, all of it, even those she didn’t know ! Maybe she could love Akane-san simply because she was from the village. All that she knew was that the village must always come first even if it was boring !_

_So standing tall against the too warm sun, her two bun on top of her head she silently watched as a blinding light engulfed the sinking ship in the distance._

XxX

Ignoring the murmurs going around her, Ushio let her shuriken fly away.

9 out of ten landed at the center of their mark, not enough.

“I heard they were trying to leave and the only reason she is still here is because she is kinda good.”

Making a show of taking the shuriken deeply embedded, Ushio tried not to wince as her body ached all over. She had been taken out of the fighting today because of her injuries but the Uzumaki couldn’t afford to look weak. She had already been a prime target before but now Ushio knew that she had to prove herself again.

Black sandals on her feet, she had wisely chosen to train in bukijutsu an area her village was renowned for and where she excelled at. Ushio could safely say that she surpassed even Zabuza (if only by her ability to wield more weapons) and if there was some talent there was also hours of trainings involved. She had understood quite early who were the elite of the village : Hunters nins and the Seven Swordsmen, the two paths needing a mastery of weapon and no particular blood limit. Objectively anyone could achieve it but those who did where inherently Kiri. There wasn’t a stronger symbol of her village than the seven swords and their holder and unfortunately everyone dreamed of being one. Ushio included.

Hours had been spent since she was young enough to wield a bô training with Zabuza and then, once they were able to afford it, others weapon. Fist clenched she threw away another Shuriken with more vigor than necessary.

“ Tree Hugger !” someone yelled and laughter run through the ranks of student.

“What did you say ?” the Uzumaki growled back.

She knew how those things went, she had lived through it before and could do it again. Grabbing her kunai, Ushio approached the boy. It had been easy to recognize his voice as she had heard him cry in pain the day before. Goro.

Goro Kita was a civilian middle class family that wanted to elevate its status and chose their third son to do so. Ushio believed that he may survive the graduation exam : a strong enough body even if his chakra reserve were a little low. If she remembered correctly, he even was the number one in their year before she and Zabuza came. 

“What now ? You’ve got nothing to say ?”

Ushio was faking it. Goro was twice as tall as her and her body was still recovering, she didn’t think she could get him alone. She eyed the crowd around them. Like shark waiting for blood. No, she wouldn’t find any help … more likely they would try to help Goro if they saw her failing. But just as she couldn’t show any weakness Goro couldn’t just back down. His beady eyes were fixed on her, a sneer on lips .

“I said that you were a tree-hugger, Ushio.” He advanced on her and she tried not to take a step back. “Like your mother. But nobody has seen fire so where is it, ugh ?”

She flinched and his smile elongated. Sharks, all of them.

“ You are but little kid that got lucky enough to survive. The only reason they didn’t cut your head with your bitch of a mother was so _we_ can do it.”

“Just try it,” Kunai in hand she brought it to his neck. What he was saying was too dangerous, it wouldn’t be the first time they teamed up against one person at the exam. Without Zabuza now that he was apprenticed, Ushio’s chances of surviving were lowering. “Nice bandages, remind me who put them here?” Her blade glowed blue chakra leaving its edges, cutting through the tissues easily and revealing the injury made by her teeth.

The Academy was reserved for refugees and civilians, because of this the chakra exercises and ninjutsu sere the main weakness of everyone around her. Showing off was an easy way to remind them what she could be capable of. The truth was that Ushio didn’t know any jutsu and this was but a show that she learned thanks to sealing exercises. Sweet rolled down her back as she tried to reign in her chakra, in a underdeveloped systems like hers chakra manipulation was ill advised but she didn't really have any other option. 

Thankfully Goro bought it and with a last glare left her alone, his “friends” following mindlessly, their blood hungry eyes on the boy’s neck. Goro was strong after all, too strong to take alone some would think.

In Kiri survival of the fittest ruled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys how are you doing ? Here is the second chapter so tell me what you think of it. Comments are always welcome ! See you next chapter !


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